Haiku poems are great for young kids because they are a fun way to teach about syllables and patterns. Understanding the sounds within words is a key pre-reading skill, and reading haiku helps kids play with the concept. Even very young children can begin to recognize patterns, and pattern awareness helps kids develop the ability to count and problem solve. That’s no joke!

Can you guess who from his hauku?

The book ends with an elegant description of haiku and a strategy for teaching kids to identify syllables.

Chickadee Lit

I write about reading for families and children. You can make storytime spectacular with my reviews of children's literature; expert techniques for raising readers; book lists for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids; and more.